rebelling against low expectations
Sometimes it seems as if God ignores us. As if our pleading and prayers mean nothing. As if the sleepless nights don’t count and our tears are lost in a pool of a million others. Three months ago I was there, feeling ignored by God. Trixie was a big, black and grey scruffy mixed breed. She was loyal to a fault (taking after the sheepdog in her, no doubt). You would pet her and she would burrow...
I have a confession: I have always skipped over most of the Old Testament. The Psalms are good and the Proverbs offer very interesting tidbits that I feel are very applicable. But what about books like Leviticus and Deuteronomy? I believed everything else was true, and the history and stories were great, but I didn’t think they had much application to my daily life. They were just for the...
I remember a certain evening vividly. I was eight-years-old, curled up against a castle of pillows, watching TV with my daddy. We were watching a show where people were doing hard things that required a lot of strength. Suddenly, a tall man (who looked like he should’ve been part of a biker gang) took the stage. He grabbed a Teflon coated frying pan and rolled it up with his bare hands. To...
I’m afraid of vulnerability. I’ve always been the strong one. Always tried to have it all together—my actions, attitudes, emotions, circumstances: my life. I cover up my fear with excuses. It’s just my personality. With the right people—in the right circumstances, at the right time—I can be vulnerable too. People need me to be strong. I’ve even bought into the lie that I need to appear strong...
As part of the Great Commision and our purpose here on earth, we are commanded to be an example of Christ to others in our lives. In John 13:15, Jesus states, “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” Christians stand out in the darkness of the world because of our joyful attitude, hope for the future, and ability to have faith through hard times. When...
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4) This is stupid, but I used to want bad things to happen to me. I thought my faith wasn’t strong because I hadn’t gone through a tough time. I...
Have you ever felt overwhelmed and frustrated with your life? I definitely have! Just recently, I received a call from my best friend, where he told me I could have his car for a mere fraction of what it was worth. It was an answer to prayer, because in about a month, I would be heading off to school, and didn’t have a method of transportation (other then asking other students for a ride). And...
I used to be an introvert. When my family walked into church and the pastor told us to “mingle,” dread crawled up my spine. At parties, I sat alone and pretended to be okay with remaining silent. Fear kept me from speaking the first words, and I watched the faces going by, hoping a friend would break away from their cliques to talk to me. I used to be an introvert. In some ways, I still am. But I...
In a recent article for GQ, the editors said, “We’ve been told all our lives that we can only call ourselves well-read once we’ve read the Great Books.” From there, they proceeded to call out the “Great Books” for being “really, really boring.” J.D. Salinger made the list twice, as did Ernest Hemingway. Brace yourself – Tolkien appeared too for The Lord of the Rings. It seems his meticulous...
Youth is an exciting time of our lives. We have flexibility, strength, passion and energy. There is an excitement as you wonder what you are going to accomplish, what you will reform in the world around you, whom you will meet, and what career you will work toward. Maybe you are like me, passionate for Jesus, ready to do something big for Him–but then you hear the hard, yet refining, answer...
rebelling against low expectations
